Council vote protected 3rd Ave. neighborhood

The Jan. 29 Herald editorial, “Commercial Creep,” regarding the slow conversion of East Third Avenue homes into businesses, caught the eye of the Boulevard Neighborhood Association board of directors. The editorial referred to the Durango Planning Commission’s recent 3-2 vote to allow Swan Wealth Advisors, a financial firm, to continue operating its business in an East Third Avenue home that is zoned residential.

The editorial, which pointed out that zoning designations are city rules, was appreciated. However, there was one issue that deserves clarification. An attempt was made to convert the Jakway House into a bed and breakfast, but this attempt failed. It is, in fact, a private residence. It has been sold to a family who will continue its use as a home, not a business.

Credit goes to the Durango City Council for overturning the Planning Commission nod that would have allowed conversion of this residentially zoned home to commercial use. Because the City Council decided to hold the line, residents of this neighborhood know that the promise to protect neighborhoods is more than mere rhetoric.

We thank the Durango City Council for putting its vote behind its words.